


Honesty

by Woofemus



Category: Granblue Fantasy (Video Game)
Genre: F/F, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-23
Updated: 2020-04-23
Packaged: 2021-03-02 03:28:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,332
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23798488
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Woofemus/pseuds/Woofemus
Summary: It wouldn't hurt Medusa to be a little more honest, but she's working on it.
Relationships: Athena/Medusa (Granblue Fantasy)
Comments: 6
Kudos: 26





	Honesty

**Author's Note:**

> just wanted to indulge myself

The door slams wide open with a bang as Medusa stumbles through, eyes wide open. From behind, Medusiana slithers in after her, tongue flickering rapidly in the air.

"Athena! Where are you—"

"Snake Girl! You're too loud!" Rather than Athena, the first thing Medusa sees is Vyrn zipping right in front of her face, blocking her sight from the rest of the room.

"Ugh! Get your dirty claws off of me, you slimy lizard!" Medusa swats him away, or tries to. He proves to be too fast for her own claws as he continues to fly all around her swipes.

"Medusa?" It's two voices that call out to her, both Lyria and Athena now. Medusa whips her head away from Vyrn to move further into the room.

Athena is resting on the bed, sitting upright propped against the headboard with some pillows. Above her, Glafkos is perched where Athena's made a small fixture extending from the bedrest for him. Next to them is Lyria, seated on a stool next to her and Djeeta standing behind her. Both of the skydwellers have their brow furrowed, looking at Athena with concern.

Something falls inside Medusa. She doesn't like this, doesn't like any of this at all. Medusiana, sensing her worsening mood, slithers up next to her, offering her presence.

"Medusa," Athena starts calmly, her eyes flitting over to her now, "I'm glad to see you—"

"Don't give me that!" Medusa interrupts as she scowls. The one thing she's learned is that the more unflappable Athena seems, the more she tends to hide. "What the hell even happened to you?!"

Athena blinks. "Nothing out of the ordinary for me, I assure you."

Medusa glowers at her. No straight answers are going to come out of Athena, so she turns to the skydwellers. "Hey! What happened out there?"

"Um…" Lyria seems to shrink a little, guilt coming to her. "Everything seemed fine at first, but near the end, a monster slipped past our defenses and I was in danger, so, um, Athena came to save me, but she couldn't use her shield in time so she… um..." she trails off, too guilty to continue.

Oh. Medusa understands now. She turns back to Athena, eyes still narrowed. Her anger's cooled slightly because _of course_ leave it to Athena to do something like this, and it isn't as if Medusa wants to see a skydweller as fragile as Lyria get hurt either, but…

It doesn't mean she still can't be mad about it!

Athena shakes her head. "I swore no harm would befall the crew while under my protection when I joined. It is an oath I do not take lightly."

Medusa almost rolls her eyes but holds back the urge. "Doesn't mean you go and end up like this, though!"

"We are primal beasts. It would take much more than what I endured to send me back to my core."

"I _know_ that! You're just—" Medusa throws her hands up in the air, scowling as she holds back her words. If it were anyone else, she would've exploded already, but this is Athena—

"My abilities are in defense. Would you doubt me now?" Athena asks. Her voice is as quiet as a murmur but Medusa can hear the slight hurt underneath at the insinuation. Medusa grits her teeth, still holding back her anger.

It isn't like Medusa doesn't know that Athena is more than capable and can take care of herself—she has more than enough firsthand experience of _exactly_ what Athena is capable of. Still, that awful anxiety she feels whenever Athena (or any of the other fragile skydwellers too) have to depart on a long expedition without Medusa there… it always forms an awful knot that settles inside of her and never loosens until she sees them back safe and sound with her own eyes. They're all more than capable, she _knows_ that, but there's always that fear at the back of her mind that's held onto her for the last five hundred years.

_That isn't it, you dumb—_

"Athena, I think Medusa was just worried about you," Lyria finally says, her eyes shining with understanding as she smiles at Medusa. "She heard you got hurt so that's why she came running over here, right?"

"H-hey! Why do you have to say it like that?!" Medusa turns her glare over to Lyria but she looks away with a huff when she sees both Djeeta and Vyrn trying, and failing, to hide their own smiles. "Don't get the wrong idea! If you go and get yourself hurt, then who's going to come into town with me?!"

"Would you not go with Medusiana?" Athena points out. Medusa's eyes swing over to her, glowering again. Athena returns her look with a confused one.

Lyria giggles at them before she reaches out to gently place an hand on Athena's arm. "I know you're fine, Athena, but it would make me feel a lot better if you took it easy for today, please?"

Athena's eyes go back to Lyria, softening as they look at her. "Very well, if you insist."

"And you'll have Medusa for company now!" Lyria finishes as she stands up, giggling to herself. Medusa gawks at her.

"What do you mean _I'm_ going to—" but Medusa doesn't get to finish before the others file out of the room, Vyrn sticking his tongue out at her one last time before he leaves.

Then, it's just the two of them now, Athena with that dumb blank look on her face except Medusa _knows_ she's confused about the skydwellers' quick departure. Medusa sighs angrily, frowning.

"Medusa," Athena starts, sounding slightly guilty. "So you were worried—"

"I wasn't!"

"... no?" Athena has a tiny frown on her face now, and tilts her head in a way that makes Medusa think of Glafkos. Ugh, if she looks up at that dumb owl, she'll see he's doing the same thing too as they look at her.

"I'm!" Medusa wants to growl and tell her to mind her own business, but this is Athena and not someone crude like Baal. But also _because_ this is Athena is also why she can't seem to bark out her usual responses.

Rather than answering, Medusa drags her feet over where the stool Lyria had been sitting in earlier is. She plops herself down, Medusiana coming to her side and placing her head onto Medusa's lap and looking up at Athena now, who sends her small smile.

Silence settles between them. It's… a little awkward for Medusa, but that's because she knows Athena's waiting for her like she always is. Sometimes, Athena's patience is a curse, she thinks. And with the small tugs on her scalp, her snakes are getting restless too. They've been getting like this when they can feel Athena nearby, always wanting to bask in the warmth of a fire primal.

When Medusa finally talks, it's concedingly as she mutters, "... maybe a little."

Athena doesn't answer her or say anything. Maybe Medusa's voice had been a little too quiet for that. But to say it again, that's even more embarrassing!

Medusa chances a peek over at Athena, and nearly yelps when she sees how _intensely_ Athena is staring at her. It feels like her eyes are trying to bore into her, and as much as she tries to fight it, the blush comes out onto her face.

"W-what are you doing?!" she cries out.

Athena blinks as if she's broken out of a stupor, surprised. "Ah? Was I doing something?"

"You were—you were just staring at me!"

"Ah… was I?"

"Y-you didn't realize?!" Medusa makes a face. "It was kind of creepy, stop that."

"Oh…" Athena averts her eyes, which makes Medusa feel a little bad, until she notices the faint pink creeping over Athena's cheeks, and _that_ nearly makes her fall out of her chair at the sight. Athena, _blushing_? "Forgive me, since I had been on that mission with the crew, it had been a while since I've seen you, so I had wanted to..." she trails off, unsure of how to finish.

Not that she needs to, with Medusa immediately realizing what she means to say, and now she really does fall out of her chair. Laying on the floor, she gawks at Athena.

"M-Medusa?!" Athena is already throwing the covers off herself, legs swinging over to the side of the bed.

"I'm fine! I'm—don't get off that bed!" Medusa scrambles to her feet, scowling. It does little to hide the blush now on _her_ face.

The stool she'd been sitting on is overturned on the floor. Using it as a distraction and to try to calm her now pounding heart, she fixes it and fiddles with it a little longer than usual as if trying to find the perfect spot. Medusa knows she can only do this for so long before Athena thinks it suspicious and ask what she's doing, so she quickly sits down after she feels like she can't pretend anymore.

All the while, she'd made sure not to look at Athena, whose eyes she knows are on her, watching her. Athena's stare is always a heavy weight even if she doesn't mean for it to be.

… unfortunately, there's nothing else left for Medusa to do. Not even Medusiana is willing to offer any help there, hiding under the bed and peering up at Medusa curiously. She stares down at her lap instead, resisting the urge to scowl deeper. It'd make Athena more worried if she did.

"... I apologize for making you uncomfortable," Athena murmurs then, and oh, no, _of course_ she's always misunderstanding Medusa. She meets Athena's gaze, ready to tell her just the opposite—and just as quickly darts her eyes away, an embarrassing yelp coming out of her instead.

"Argh!" Leaning forward onto the bed, Medusa hides her face within her arms and the sheets. She knows Athena is looking at her strangely, knows that Athena will ask, but—she doesn't want Athena to see her face right now! Not when she can barely calm herself down!

"Medusa? Is something wrong—"

"No! Nothing's wrong!" she snaps out even though her voice is muffled. It's the furthest from the truth, though, not when she can feel the warmth bubbling inside of her, makes her feel like she's going to burst or… something.

Athena hums, a sound that let Medusa know she's confused but she'll be patient and wait for Medusa to explain. But how is Medusa supposed to explain this? She can't even look at Athena right now without feeling like she's going to make some kind of dumb expression on her face, like some kind of big, goofy smile, and then Athena won't understand and she'll ask her to explain and _then_ what is Medusa supposed to say?! Actually tell her she feels happy?!

As if reading her thoughts, Medusiana nudges her leg, tongue flickering against it. When Medusa still doesn't move, she rears up now, making her way over the bed to haphazardly lay herself all around the lower half of Athena's body. Glafkos makes a low hoot, one eye open as he watches Medusiana warily. Medusa peeks up a little to glare at her, notices that Athena is absently running her hand along Medusiana's scales as if she were petting some sort of furry animal instead.

What a traitor! Medusa buries her face again, huffing to herself. She knows Medusiana means the best, but Medusiana doesn't know the feeling of _embarrassment_.

"... Medusa?" Athena's voice, soft and unsure, carries over to her. She feels a touch on her hair and realizes it's Athena, gingerly reaching out. "Are you sure it isn't anything?"

"I said I'm fine! Don't worry!" In the face of Athena's worry, Medusa finally brings her face up, sullenly glaring at Athena.

"Ah… of course." Athena nods, relief shining in her eyes. "There it is, that usual attitude I was expecting."

"Hah?! Are you _trying_ to get me mad now?"

"No, I meant no offense." Athena's expression softens. "I have simply missed you."

Medusa had thought her face couldn't get any hotter. It's proving her wrong right now, burning up so hot that she might as well be on fire at this point. She knows _exactly_ what it's like, and it'll still all be Athena's fault.

Hiding her face again, Medusa makes a sound that even she'd say would be some sort of undignified snort and grunt. She's not proud of it, but _what else_ is she supposed to do in this moment? The way Athena can say things so easily—the way she can so easily confess her thoughts and always, _always_ renders Medusa speechless and feeling so jittery every time.

"Medusa, can I ask a favor of you?" Athena speaks again. Cautiously, Medusa peers up at her again.

"... what?" Her voice comes out gruffer than she intended, which makes Medusa wince. She clears her throat and speaks again, a little more composed now. "I-I mean, what is it?"

"Ah…" and once again, Athena seems… nervous, almost flustered. Her hand, resting on the bed nearby Medusa, flattens its palm against the sheets. "I would like to hold your hand, if you don't mind."

Medusa stares at her. Keeps staring at her that even Athena is the one who looks away, her other hand running across Medusiana's scales at a slightly faster pace now. Glafkos coos.

"F-forgive me, that was—"

"Do whatever you want!" Medusa gets out before Athena apologizes _again_. She buries her face into the sheets again, feeling the urge to scream except that'd make Athena (and probably everyone else that can hear) alarmed, and that won't do.

"Then…"

Gently, Athena nudges Medusa's hand, still questioning. Medusa doesn't look up at Athena still but she does ease up on the pressure of her hand, enough for Athena to get the hint and slowly slide her hand underneath. As she does, Medusa immediately feels the warmth that always emanates from Athena. A second passes before Athena curls her hand, fingers rough with calluses now resting against the back of Medusa's hand.

The blush on Medusa's face flares even hotter than the warmth in her hand. It feels more like Athena has her hand on her face instead and—ugh, it feels like she's done nothing but spent the past several minutes blushing. This is awful.

And yet… Medusa wouldn't trade this moment for anything else.

A small laugh comes out of Athena. Medusa's frowning as she finally chances a look over to Athena, wanting to ask why she's doing something like laughing. What she sees instead, though, is Athena with her eyes crinkled, a smile on her face like… like… _sheer contentment._ It's one of those dumb, goofy smiles that people make when they think no one's noticing, except Athena is looking at her and smiling like that, and… and—

An embarrassing squeak comes out of Medusa and she ducks her head so Athena can't really see her face. Her other hand comes up to tug her headpiece down even though she knows it won't do or hide anything, much less cover how completely red her face is right now. It feels like even the tips of her ears are red too.

"You're still staring at me," Medusa mutters though she tries to take some of the instinctual bite out of her tone. Not that it bothers Athena, her expression not even dimming in the slightest compared to Medusa's clearly muted one.

"Ah, forgive me. I'm very happy right now," Athena answers sincerely, and, oh, right, Athena absolutely has _no_ qualms about admitting something like that aloud.

Everything Athena's said so far feels like Medusa's getting struck right into her chest, and it's both painful and also… light. Medusa wants to hear more, but also feels like screaming if she does. After not hearing Athena's voice for a while, she wants to hear more of it, but it would also be nice if Athena didn't talk either. She's stuck.

… and Medusa realizes she hasn't said anything back to Athena, and while she knows Athena doesn't mind, it still makes Medusa feel bad. Athena always gives so much and asks for so little, and not even Medusa would dare take advantage of that.

Medusa starts to shift around, leaning the side of her head against the blanket so she can… at least face Athena's direction. She's not sure if she's ready to look straight at her eyes yet but this is better than looking away, even if her face still feels like it's on fire right now.

She can see Athena watching her. Medusa moves her hand, the one cradled in Athena's hold, to push her fingers in between Athena's. She doesn't miss the way Athena's eyes go wide for a single moment, and then Athena's fingers fit against hers.

They stare at each other, Medusa holding her breath, Athena still watching her. Finally, Medusa can't take it anymore and slowly lets out her breath, purposely squeezing Athena's hand a little too tightly. It makes her want to laugh when she sees Athena wincing.

"How are you feeling?" Medusa finally asks. She'd forgotten to ask this earlier, now that she isn't so angry and embarrassed.

"I'm…" Athena rolls her shoulders, grimacing a little. "Physically, I am fine, but shielding Lyria from that attack did make me expend more magic than usual, on top of all the fighting we had done beforehand. I do feel slightly tired. Perhaps Lyria was right to ask me to rest."

"Of course she was, you'd go and tire yourself out instead!" Medusa huffs.

"Ah…" Athena smiles sheepishly. "I'm glad that you're looking after me then, Medusa."

"Someone has to," Medusa mutters, pushing down the blush threatening to rise again. It doesn't work, but Athena isn't the type to tease her for it like she knows other people are. Still, it isn't like she _wants_ to always be reduced to a blushing mess, even if Athena always just somehow knows exactly what to say or do that makes her flush.

Silence comes between them but it's a lot more comfortable now than earlier. Medusa's eyes go down to where their intertwined hands are. In comparison to Athena's, Medusa's hand feels smaller than it already is. Along Athena's hand, she can see tiny scars and nicks. It makes her wonder of how she's gotten them, and of why Athena hasn't allowed her regeneration to heal the blemishes. It fits a strong knight like Athena though, always risking herself to save those in danger.

So that makes it more important for Medusa to make sure Athena has to take care of herself too. For now though, Athena's here, and the warmth from her hand has come to be a flame so familiar and important to Medusa. If something were to ever happen...

Medusa mumbles something under her breath. As much as she wished for it though, Athena doesn't hear her and tilts her head instead.

"I'm sorry, I did not hear you," Athena murmurs.

"I said!" Medusa's voice rises but she quiets it down, clearing her throat. Why does it feel so hard to speak such simple words? Her hand squeezes down on Athena's again, gentler this time. "I-I said I missed you too," she finally mumbles, her whole face reddening for what feels like the umpteenth time again.

Athena blinks at her, eyes wide before she lets out a small laugh. When Medusa looks at her, she's beaming like she's been told the best news in the whole world. Medusa thinks that it should embarrass Athena that she's so happy over something so… _simple_ , but to see how elated she is over something Medusa's said makes Medusa feel… nice, even if the blush on her face might as well be permanent at this point. Nothing's as warm as the smile Athena is giving her, though.

Maybe one day she'll be able to tell Athena she likes her smile too.


End file.
